The Barbadian duo of International Master Orlando Husbands and Women’s Fide Master Hannah Wilson created history recently by winning the Subzone 2.3.3 Open and Women’s Chess Championships 2025 respectively to qualify for the 2025 World Cup.

In doing so, the 28-year-old Husbands and the 16-year-old Wilson became the first chess players from the English-speaking Caribbean to qualify for the World Cup in its new format.

The top-ranked Husbands won the Open division after playing unbeaten to finish on 7.5 points out of a possible nine, with six wins and three draws, in the 96-player field which attracted players from 15 countries.